Chapter 10

Ice skating is easy once you get used to it.

I made a sharp blade on the bottom of my shoes with ice magic to slide on the ice, even though it was a makeshift solution.

However, it was difficult to make just the blade, so in the end, I froze the entire shoe, integrating the blade. As a result, my feet are quite cold.

The first blade I made was too sharp, causing me to lose balance and fall frequently.

Standing on a blade less than a centimeter thick is difficult for a beginner. I didn't hit my head, but I bumped various parts of my body.

I decided to improve it since I couldn't enjoy it like this.

Surprisingly, I can now slide freely. I might have a talent for ice skating.

But, saying this might bring bad luck, so I'll stop there.

However, ice skating seems useful not just for entertainment but also in combat.

Although it's limited to the ice, sliding on it doesn't consume stamina, unlike running.

If your stamina is completely depleted, you can't move until it recovers to a certain level.

If you can't move for a long time against monsters, you become an easy target and might end up being beaten to death.

In my case, I can fly as long as my magic power doesn't run out thanks to levitation magic, and my magic barrier activates automatically, so I won't be beaten to death.

But why not use levitation magic from the start?

I think so too.

However, by freezing the ground, I can immobilize the enemy.

Unless they have anti-slip soles or spikes on their feet, which only a few monsters have, they will slip and fall when they move. This gives me the opportunity to attack them unilaterally with magic.

Therefore, I need to practice using magic while sliding.

This requires a lot of concentration, mainly on my feet.

Magic can be activated in one phrase thanks to the long incantation abandonment technique.

However, even though I'm getting used to it, my ice skating skills are still not as good as my magic. I still stumble occasionally.

To avoid falling, I need to focus on my feet. Magic can take a back seat.

I create a target with ice magic in the center of the room.

To be honest, the ice I create can't be destroyed by a simple blow. The power and strength of magic are proportional to the user's maximum magic power.

Of course, it can be adjusted. Otherwise, using it on a person might result in a fatality.

I slide clockwise around the ice target.

I'm moving at a decent speed. Being too cautious might make me fall, so I go with the momentum.

By the way, this situation is similar to the Catastrophe Dragon battle before I named it Tarte.

Back then, I was running and consuming stamina. Even if I had more stamina than others, I still got tired.

However, as I mentioned earlier, sliding doesn't consume stamina. If I had incorporated this earlier, I would have been less fatigued.

Thinking about the past with "I should have done this" or "I should have done that" is meaningless. What's important is how to apply those experiences in the future.

By the way, what was Tarte doing while I was engrossed in ice skating?

I feel bad for leaving it alone.

I slide across the ice to find Tarte.

Tarte is staring at the ice floor.

"Is something wrong?"

"Quack quack!"

Tarte points downward. Looking in that direction, I see a monster frozen in the ice.

The ground is transparent, so it's clearly visible. It's frozen, so it won't move.

However, there seems to be something else.

Looking closely, I can faintly see something that looks like a box.

It's probably a treasure chest found in dungeons. Treasure chests contain items and equipment.

The deeper the dungeon level, the better the items. Some items can fetch a fortune, and many adventurers become adventurers to strike it rich.

However, treasure chests in dungeons are rare.

Furthermore, once opened, they don't reappear in the same location.

It's possible that the number of treasure chests that can appear in a dungeon is fixed and they regenerate in different locations, but I'm not sure.

In any case, the object under the ice is definitely a treasure chest.

Treasure chests emit a faint but unique magic power, which is difficult to detect due to its weakness.

But this time, Tarte found it by luck.

Good job. I should praise it a lot.

After that, I lifted the treasure chest from the bottom.

I used the 'Master' skill I obtained from Tarte.

This skill allows me to move any object freely as long as my magic is involved.

The lake is frozen by my Ice Prison magic, so the conditions are met.

The treasure chest is inside a block of ice, but I can cleanly remove it with the 'Master' skill.

Now, it's time to meet the contents.

This is one of the thrills of being an adventurer. I open the treasure chest with excitement.

Inside is a mask that covers the entire face. The eye holes are empty, but can you see through them?

The mask is black with thick white lines in some places.

Let me appraise it.

───────────────

Name: 'Black and White Mask'

Abilities and Status Adjustments: None

- 'Integration'

├ Visuals are not obstructed even when equipped

└ Can be put on and taken off at will

- 'Voice Change'

├ Can change the voice

└ Can be toggled on and off at will

───────────────

...

To be honest, it's a rather... (questionable) piece of equipment.

I don't see many uses for it, but I'll keep it just in case.

Incidentally, when I equip the 'Black and White Mask,' my vision is clear.

However, I can feel it's equipped, so I won't forget I'm wearing it.

My voice is also slightly different. It feels strange. But when it comes to when to use it...

In any case, this is a bit of a fun piece of equipment.